LANSING, Mich. — Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo has been nationally recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) by winning top honors for the Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award for their Zoo in your Neighborhood (ZIYN) program, according to a press release from Potter Park Zoo.
“Potter Park Zoo is honored to win this prestigious award for our Zoo in Your Neighborhood Program,” said Community Engagement Coordinator Mariah Martinez. “One of our top priorities is to be more accessible and inclusive to all and we will continue to work tirelessly to make the zoo a place truly all can enjoy.”
The award recognizes an AZA accredited zoo or aquarium achievement in diversity.
The release says specifically "work force and audience diversity as well as the most significant innovative, productive and far-reaching program to promote diversity in the 236 institutions that are accredited by the AZA."
“The Zoo in Your Neighborhood program exemplifies Potter Park Zoo’s mission to inspire conservation of animals and the natural world by bringing free programming and passes to members of the community who may not have been able to afford to come to the zoo otherwise,” said Amy Morris-Hall, Executive Director of Potter Park Zoological Society. “We are very grateful for the significant support from the Community Foundation, the Lansing Rotary Club, the Gannett Foundation as well as our docents and volunteers. Their support has helped to keep this important program free to the community.”
The recognition was received at the national AZA conference in New Orleans, LA this week.
The zoo is the first in Michigan to become certified sensory inclusive by KultureCity, and continues to be inclusive and accessible with their ZIYN and FALCONERS programs, "which aim to make the zoo a place for all people to visit, no matter what physical, mental, or financial barrier they may face."
You can learn more about these programs on the Potter Park Zoo Website www.potterparkzoo.org.
Want to see more local news ? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
